Nine finalists unveiled for 2025 Carson-Newman Athletics Hall of Fame Class, voting open
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman's athletics club executive committee has released the nine individuals up for consideration for induction into the Carson-Newman Athletics Hall of Fame.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman's athletics club executive committee has released the nine individuals up for consideration for induction into the Carson-Newman Athletics Hall of Fame.
Voting is open to all former Carson-Newman athletes, coaches and administrators. It can be done at the following link: cneagles.com/HallOfFame/2023HoFBallot
Voting will close Dec. 1 at 12:01 a.m.
Nominations are accepted year-round, but close on Aug. 1 of each year. Nominations can be made at: https://www.cneagles.com/HallOfFame/HofNom.
Individuals who finished their playing careers in May of 2014 or earlier are now eligible for nomination/induction.
The individuals up for consideration for the class of 2025 are listed below in alphabetical order.
Jerald Ellington (1964), Men's Basketball; Clayton Holmes (1992), Football and Track & Field; Aubrey Morrison (2009), Cross Country; Julie Nelson (2007), Women's Soccer; Chuck Profitt (1992), Football; Dan Redding (1991-2020), Assistant Football Coach; Jenna Rust (2004), Volleyball; Dwight Wilson (1984), Football; Sparky Woods (1976), Football.
Jerald Ellington, men's basketball (1964) - Carson-Newman men's basketball's ninth all-time leading scorer at the time of his nomination. Ellington scored 1,663 points over the course of his career at Carson-Newman. Ellington helped Carson-Newman to an appearance in the top 10 and a trio of NAIA National Tournament appearances, including an appearance in the Final Four in 1964.
Clayton Holmes, football/track & field (1992) – At the time of nomination, Holmes is one of four two-sport All-Americans in the history of Carson-Newman's athletic department. He earned All-America honors on the football gridiron as a junior and senior while also taking NAIA All-America honors in the long jump. Taken in the third round of the NFL Draft with the 68th overall pick, Holmes is Carson-Newman's highest drafted NFL player of all time. At the time of nomination, he still has the most interception return yards of any Carson-Newman player for a single season and ranks sixth all-time in career picks. He was a three-time Super Bowl Champion with the Dallas Cowboys.
Aubrey Morris, cross country (2009) – A three-time South Atlantic Conference Champion, three-time NCAA championship meet qualifier, three-time all-region selection and 2006 Southeast Region champion, Aubrey Morris Morrison is one of the most decorated cross country athletes in school history. She made a splash as soon as she arrived on campus, earning SAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2005. Morrison would wrap up her career earning All-SAC first team honors the final three years she was on the banks of Mossy Creek.
Julie Nelson, women's soccer (2007) – A two-time All-South Atlantic Conference selection, Nelson helped the Eagles to four NCAA tournaments, four SAC championships and two Final Fours in her time at C-N. At the time of nomination, she still ranks top-10 all-time in C-N history for career starts. She went on to a successful professional career and is Northern Ireland's record holder for career national team appearances.
Chuck Proffitt, football (1992) – Carson-Newman's all-time leader in interceptions at the time of his nomination, Chuck Proffitt was a two-time All-American defensive back and a member of the 1989 national championship-winning team. Proffitt also ranks 12th all-time in tackles and is fourth in career pass breakups. He was the South Atlantic Conference's Defensive Freshman of the Year in 1989 before earning first-team all-conference honors his final three years with the program. He has the longest interception return in Carson-Newman and South Atlantic Conference history.
Dan Redding, assistant football coach (1991-2020) – For nearly 30 years, Dan Redding roamed the sidelines as an assistant coach at Carson-Newman. During his tenures with the Eagles, Redding has coached lines that helped Carson-Newman win 13 South Atlantic Conference Championships and make 17 trips to the NCAA Division II or NAIA Playoffs as well as three national championship game berths. Linemen mentored under Redding include former San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Cedric Killings, Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Torrie Griffin and Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins defensive end Junior Glymph. Nose guard Steve Mellon was a two-time NCAA Division II All-American and Glymph was named to multiple All-American teams in 2003.
Jenna Rust, volleyball (2004) – Jenna Rust helped put Carson-Newman volleyball on the map, assisting in guiding the Eagles to their first regular season and tournament SAC titles. At the time of her nomination, she is second in school history in career kills with 1,572. Rust has the most digs of any non-libero/DS with 2,000 – still good enough for fifth all-time. She ranks in the top 10 in school history in blocks. Rust is the only player to have donned the orange and blue for the volleyball program to be named the player of the year by the league.
Dwight Wilson, football (1984) – Carson-Newman football's first All-America offensive lineman, Dwight Wilson was recognized for his efforts up front during Carson-Newman's 1983 national championship run. Wilson would help clear the way for the Eagles to rush for more than 3,000 yards in the final three years of his college career. He would block for four all-conference and two All-American running backs.
Sparky Woods, football (1976) – Sparky Woods played quarterback and defensive back for Carson-Newman from 1972-75. After his playing career wrapped up, Woods went on to lead Appalachian State, South Carolina and VMI on the football gridiron. He helped the Mountaineers to two SoCON titles and two 1-AA playoff appearances in the 1980s. He has been an assistant coach at Tennessee, Kansas, North Alabama, Iowa State, Memphis, Virginia, Mississippi State, Alabama, Richmond and North Carolina in a coaching career that has spanned six decades. He has been a part of eight bowl games as an assistant coach.
Tickets are on sale for the 2024 Carson-Newman Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet, set for Friday, Jan. 5 in the Stokely Memorial Building on Carson-Newman's campus.
Tickets are 50 dollars per person. Ticket holders are encouraged to arrive at 6 p.m. for an hour of fellowship and meet and greet with the inductees. The dinner and ceremony will follow at 7 p.m.
The septet will then recognized during the Eagles' men's and women's basketball games the next day against Newberry.
This year's honorees are Mike Brady (1993), Baseball; Gaines Cox (1993), Baseball; Don Elia (1978-2008), Wrestling Coach; Leonard Guyton (2003), Football; Patrick Olalere (1993), Men's Soccer; David Roberts (1987), Football; Mark Sweeney (2000), Men's Golf.
